The President’s Cancer Panel, established in 1971, finally acknowledges and warns us of the dangers of agricultural and other chemicals in our food supply. I’m sure the often ignored and ridiculed organic food and clean water advocates will be happy to hear this news. These scientists and activists have been pointing out scientific evidence of health problems caused by chemicals we are all exposed to on a daily basis. And, because of minimal regulation of industrial chemicals, the list of chemicals grows each year. Many patients stare in disbelief when I tell them this list tops 80,000 in numbers of chemicals we may be exposed to daily. Some even deny this fact, thinking I’m either misinformed or some sort of brainwashed, crazy fanatic.
80,000 Household and Environmental Chemicals and Counting?
According to this official report, “Only a few hundred of the more than 80,000 chemicals in use in the United States have been tested for safety.” Eighty thousand! No, I wasn’t misinformed, nor was I crazy (, but I suppose the fanatical claim remains to be seen). The report says: “Many known or suspected carcinogens are completely unregulated.” The number of chemicals has steadily escalated year by year, but this report will hopefully make us stop to think about this ongoing trend.
The latest U.S. Vital Statistics show that cancer has surpassed cardiovascular disease as the leading killer each year. 41 percent of Americans will be diagnosed with cancer at some point in their lives, and an increasing number of childhood cancers should cause us to look at possible -now probable- environmental causes. The flimsy safety data for many chemicals -which mostly is provided by the chemical industry itself- and the data that is altogether lacking data for the overwhelming majority of chemicals will hopefully now be looked at more thoroughly.
The report has a section of recommendations for individuals:
- Particularly when pregnant and when children are small, choose foods, toys and garden products with fewer endocrine disruptors or other toxins. (Information about products is at www.cosmeticsdatabase.com or www.healthystuff.org.)
- For those whose jobs may expose them to chemicals, remove shoes when entering the house and wash work clothes separately from the rest of the laundry.
- Filter drinking water.
- Store water in glass or stainless steel containers, or in plastics that don’t contain BPA or phthalates (chemicals used to soften plastics). Microwave food in ceramic or glass containers.
- Give preference to food grown without pesticides, chemical fertilizers and growth hormones. Avoid meats that are cooked well-done.
- Check radon levels in your home. Radon is a natural source of radiation linked to cancer.
There are many other examples of way to reduce your exposure to chemicals in your home and in other places you spend your day. Should you feel you need more help with this, give our office a call to schedule and appointment. We also offer safe and effective cleansing and detoxification programs to eliminate the burden of toxic chemicals and heavy metals from the body, which is absolutely essential in this day and age.
The full report from the President’s Cancer Panel can be viewed here: http://deainfo.nci.nih.gov/advisory/pcp/pcp08-09rpt/PCP_Report_08-09_508.pdf
Source: NY Times, http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/06/opinion/06kristof.html
